In the spirit of the certain trend that we subscribe to here at One A Day of creating totally random themes for certain days and/or months and then never following them up again, I’d like to introduce you to the latest in our line of inevitably redundant themed days: Aussie Friday! Possibly because I’m so excited at our ability to hook some of the world’s best acts for the country’s best music festival and probably also as a result of an essay I’m finishing off on the importance of cultural sovereignty in a world of globalized media flows, I feel it’s appropriate to revel in unabashed patriotism on this, Friday the 16th.

First up is Melbourne emcee Mantra who, along with label mates Illy and Jess Harlen, is proving that Obese Records ain’t no one trick pony (see: the recently defecting Hilltop Hoods). In a move that indicates the nation is warming to hip-hop, his debut ‘Power of The Spoken’ was featured this week on Triple J (this blog’s youth broadcaster of choice) and I’ve been keenly following developments from the driver’s seat of ol’ Honda, continually impressed by Mantra’s eloquence in describing the motivations behind his tracks. Moreover, this one’s produced by the hugely up-and-coming (if one can hugely up-and-come) Melbourne producer, M-Phazes who J sung the praises of not but a few weeks ago. Phazes has definitely got a talent for funky sampling – a perfect match for Mantra’s exciting wordplay. Fresh.

Mantra – I Hereby Stand

Now, with my second pick for Aussie Friday, I am sort of putting myself out there to cop a bit of flak. I know Pendulum ‘aren’t really Australian’ since relocating to the UK (where they’ve achieved unprecedented success) in 2003 but still, the drum and bass sounds coming out of wherever it is they currently call home still make me feel warm, fuzzy and patriotic. What, dubstep never does that to you? Yes, I might well have an addiction to rock-tinged electro that makes you want to be shoot a flamethrower/drive your old car too fast/do parkour/be Jason Bourne but that doesn’t stop me being objective about these things. I definitely can’t stand the emo intro that makes me feel less Bourne-like, more Edward-Cullen-like, but the chorus is just so damned catchy that I’ll forgive Pendulum for the early whining which really detracts from the overarching Prodigy-esque goodness of it all. Below is a clip that (pseudo-intentionally) features a stupid Australian radio presented laughing (apologies in advance, stupid radio presenter) like a little girl. If Mantra and Pendulum are a sign of things to come, the Aussie music scene will soon be laughing all the way to the bank. Like a little girl.

2 Comments:

What the–?!! I didn’t know rock could sound like that. Edward Cullen? You’ve read the Twilight series? I was wondering, do all rock fronties sound the same? His voice sounded just like a lot of other rock bands. Not Pendulum’s sound itself, just his voice in the intro.

[…] now perfect for up-and-comers, a situation confirmed by the blooming careers of Phatchance, Illy, Mantra and Snob Scrilla among others. Back in 08 I was lamenting the lack of airtime acts like Bliss n Eso […]